Burns and fire safety

Did you know that if you don't have a working smoke alarm, you are twice as likely to die from a home fire? Don't take any chances with your safety - make sure you have a functioning smoke alarm in your home. In NSW, it is also a legal requirement to have smoke alarms installed on every level of your home.

When you are asleep, you won't smell smoke from a fire. Smoke alarms are devices that detect smoke and make a loud noise to alert people in the home when smoke is detected. They look to give residents an early warning to implement actions to save lives.

To increase you and your family's chances of survival in a fire, you should:

• install smoke alarms on all levels of your home - smoke alarms in bedrooms, living spaces, hallways, stairways and garages provide a higher level of protection
• check and test smoke alarm batteries once a month by pressing and holding the test button for at least five seconds until you hear the beeps
• if your smoke alarm doesn't work - replace it immediately
• if your smoke alarm uses a lithium battery, or it is more than ten years old - replace it immediately
• if your smoke alarm has a battery, replace it every year
• vacuum your smoke alarm every six months to remove any dust and bugs
• discuss with your child the sounds of a smoke alarm and what to do in the event of a fire within the home.

Lighters and matches

Store matches and lighters in locked cabinets or where children cannot reach or see them, similar to poisons and medications. Where possible, use child-proof lighters. Similarly, ensure lighters and matches are at least one metre away from fireplaces. 

Cigarettes

If you are smoking, never smoke in bed and ensure you completely extinguish cigarettes before disposal.

Second-hand smoke from cigarettes and vaping is dangerous for children. Quitting smoking is the best way to protect your children. See Vaping and smoking for more information.

Power points

You should only put one plug into each power socket at the wall.

Power boards

• Never overload power boards - when there are too many devices plugged into them, they can catch fire
• Use power boards that have safety switches or circuit breakers
• Never use a double adaptor in a power board
• Place power boards on their sides to prevent dust build-up in unused points
• Regularly check electrical leads and never use faulty leads or appliances
• Ensure adequate ventilation to power boards.

Charging electronic devices

Always charge devices on a hard surface, such as a desk or a table. Charging electronic devices on soft surfaces such as beds or pillows can cause a fire due to heat generated by the battery.

Always check heating appliances are not damaged before using them.

Heaters

If using heating appliances during winter months, such as a gas heater, make sure they are a safe distance, at least one metre, from flammable material such as rugs or curtains. Ensure they are being directly plugged into a wall socket. Make sure they are not unattended for long periods of time and are switched off when you go to bed or when you leave the house. 

Prevent fires in the home - "Keep everything one metre away from the heater"

Electric blankets

Always check your electric blanket for any damage or abnormalities, including wires and cords, before using it. If safe to use, leave it on for 5 minutes and rub your hand over the blanket to check for hot spots. If there is any fault, damage or hot spots, throw it away and replace it. Turn off electric blankets when getting into bed and when you're not home. They are not designed to be used while sleeping. Ensure that you roll your electric blanket when packing it away. Don't fold your electric blanket, as this can cause damage.

Outside heating and cooking appliances need to stay outside

Anything designed to be used outdoors should stay outdoors. Never use any outside heating appliances such as outdoor heaters, barbeques or LPG cylinders. These sorts of equipment can lead to a build-up of carbon monoxide, which is a poisonous gas. You cannot see, taste or smell carbon monoxide, but it can make you sick and be fatal if exposed to high levels.

Wheat bags

Never use wheat bags in bed, as they can spontaneously catch fire. Wheat bags can continue to self-heat under covers and can cause a fire or burns to the person in the bed. It's important to use wheat bags carefully and only for their intended purpose of relieving body aches and pains under adult supervision. If heating a wheat bag for this purpose:

• follow the manufacturer's instructions, and never heat longer than what is specified
• if there is any wear, tear or scorch marks, throw it out and replace them with a new one
• never sleep with a wheat bag or place them under covers
• allow the wheat bag to properly cool before reheating again if desired
• when cooling down a wheat bag, ensure it is on a surface that won't catch light, such as a tiled floor or granite bench top.

Fireplace and chimneys

Make sure to have a qualified tradesperson service your fireplace. When using the fireplace, place a fire screen in front of it. And if you're using wood, keep it at least one meter away from the fireplace to prevent accidental fires.

Candles

Adults should always be present when a candle is used. If you're leaving the room, extinguish the candle. Keep candles on hard surfaces and away from anything that can catch alight.

Never leave cooking unattended

Kitchen fires are the most common cause of house fires in NSW. Most of these are a result of unattended cooking. 

• If you need to leave the kitchen, ensure you turn off the stove
• Ensure that pot handles are turned inwards so that children don't accidentally knock or grab these
• Ensure you are not distracted - distractions can quickly lead to fires

Microwaves

• Don't put anything metallic, such as spoons or forks, in the microwave - metal heats up very quickly, which can lead to a fire

Kitchen space

• Fat and grease build-up in your oven, range hood and grill and can cause a fire. It is important to always keep your oven, range hood and grill clean to prevent this from occurring.
• When cooking on the stove, ensure that you don't have loose clothing on that could catch alight
• Keep tea towels and curtains away from the stove
• Use the back stove points, and turn pot handles inwards to avoid children grabbing or knocking pots.

• Use non-slip placemats and coasters instead of tablecloths so young children can’t pull hot food and drinks onto themselves
• put hot food or drinks out of reach of children, and don’t hold young children while you have a hot product in your hand
• avoid tablecloths under hot drinks as these can be pulled down by children
• do not hold a young child while you have a hot drink
• always drain the hot water from the noodles before giving them to your child, and have them sit at a table when eating hot noodles.

• Always use the back stovetops to cook
• turn pot handles to the back so young children cannot reach them
• use a barrier such as a stove guard to prevent young children from pulling hot products down onto themselves
• stay in the kitchen and supervise children at all times while cooking
• do not put water on burning oil as this will cause olil to splatter or spread a fire.

Keep looking when cooking.

• Make sure all electrical appliances are pushed to the back of the bench so children cannot reach them
• wind up excessive cords or use cordless appliances where possible
• never heat baby bottles in the microwave
• for older children, make sure microwaves are at a level where children are not reaching above their waist to remove food from the microwave
• always follow the recommended cooking time on labels as over-heating food and liquids may result in it exploding.

• Always have heaters on the floor and not raised on any chairs or tables
• install a heat-resistant guard around any heaters or fireplaces.

• Try, where possible, not to use irons or have them cooling down while your child is around - small children can grab cords or ironing boards without knowing what is above
• consider using cordless irons and make sure to pack everything away and out of reach when you are no longer using them.

• Where possible, make sure children are not around when using hair straighteners or curlers and supervise them whilst the device is heating or cooling
• store out of reach of children and in a heatproof bag if possible.

• Never use an indoor treadmill whilst children are in the room - have them supervised by another responsible adult
• install a guard and unplug the devise after every use.

• Hot tap-water burns usually happen in the bathroom where bathing water comes from the tap at an unsafe temperature:
  • water at 65ºC produces a full-thickness burn in less than a second
  • water at 60ºC it takes five seconds
  • water at 50ºC takes five minutes to produce the same depth of burn.
• controlling the delivery temperature of hot water in areas for personal hygiene, such as bathrooms, to no greater than 50ºC helps to reduce scald burns from occurring - a licensed plumber can install a tempering device on older systems
• always turn on the cold water tap then add hot water when filling a bath or taking a shower
• turn the hot water tap off before the cold water tap when the bath is filled or taking a shower.